Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 89

In the darkness, the phone set aside suddenly lit up.

Shen Shi picked it up and lowered his eyes to glance at it.

It was another message from his mother.

—[Photo]

—Look, the seafood porridge Ranran cooked tonight. It was so delicious. Once we return to Beijing, I’ll definitely have Aunt Chen learn how to make it.

Scrolling up, his mother had sent many scattered photos over the past month.

Ever since she went to Beijing, and later accompanied Ye Huaishan to Germany for treatment when his condition worsened, Father and Mother Shen’s lives had shifted from revolving around him to revolving around Ye Ran.

From Mother Shen’s messages, Shen Shi had already learned that this younger brother, Ye Ran, was a gentle, sensible, obedient, well-behaved boy who could cook, do housework, study painting, and had many talents.

Once Mother Shen truly loved someone, she practically wanted to announce it to the entire world. Even her social media shifted from selfies, jewelry, and gemstones to bowls of porridge, potted plants, hand-knitted scarves, and pencil sketches.

Fortunately, although she adored Ye Ran, he still had a place in her heart.

—And you?

—I heard from Old Li that you drank again?

Shen Shi closed his eyes, his gaze holding a faint drunken indifference: [I did.]

—You’re not drunk, right? Don’t go back to that shabby place tonight. I already told Aunt Chen to make sobering soup for you.

Shen Shi: [Mm.]

The conversation seemed to end there.

Inside the silent, narrow car, Shen Shi loosened his collar. The neon lights outside swept quickly across his face, yet could not illuminate the deep, pitch-black darkness in his eyes.

His body felt hot after drinking. Shen Shi half-closed his eyes, long legs lazily crossed. His thoughts drifted into a dark, heavy place. Ten minutes later, he heard the buzz of another incoming message.

“Bzzz.”

He lifted his eyelids and picked up the phone.

It was still Mother Shen. This time, her tone was much lighter.

—The doctor just informed us that your Uncle Ye’s condition has stabilized. He can return to the country and continue recovery slowly.

—We’ll return home in three days. No matter what, you must come to Beijing. You’re already this old, yet still clueless.

—Ranran is a good child. This whole month he’s been flying back and forth between Beijing and Germany every single day. If you can help, then help. Don’t let him bear everything alone.

—Did you hear me?

Seeing that Mother Shen even added punctuation to the last message, Shen Shi finally replied: [Got it.]

Putting down the phone, he tapped his fingers against his thigh, thinking lazily.

…This Ye Ran certainly had his ways.

He managed to coax both of his parents into such happiness. Now they even wanted to help Ye’s company.

Having been in the business world for years, Shen Shi could already tell from the assistant’s collected information that the Ye family was a spent arrow. Unless a massive amount of funds was injected to revive it, the only thing waiting for the Ye family was bankruptcy and liquidation.

Mother Shen couldn’t be blind to this. Even if she saw it clearly, she still gave him this order.

He felt bored. Everything Ye Ran had done over the past month now seemed covered with a veneer of “flattery.”

He tossed aside the phone, suppressing the churn in his stomach, and said calmly, “Have Xu Wen organize Ye Corporation’s documents. I want them tomorrow morning.”

The car turned at the intersection.

Old Li: “Yes.”

Three days later.

The plane from Berlin, Germany landed in Beijing.

Nearly nine hours of flight, plus a transfer in between, Ye Ran didn’t get motion sickness, but he still looked pale from discomfort.

In the seat beside him, Mother Shen looked over worriedly. “Ranran, are you alright?”

Father Shen put down his newspaper and asked the flight attendant to bring a cup of hot water.

Ye Ran took a sip. His face was tinged pink from the rising steam.

The flight attendant didn’t step away yet; her gaze lingered on him for a few more seconds. She asked softly, “Sir, would you like some motion sickness medicine?”

“Thank you, no.” Ye Ran shook his head.

He lowered his eyes wearily. His face was pale, but his brows, eyes, and hair were black as crow feathers. His phoenix eyes were thin and restrained, tinted lightly red. His tone was gentle, and when he lifted his gaze toward the flight attendant, he even curved his lips in a small smile.

Her heart thumped wildly. Suppressing her excitement, she finally walked away.

Only after she left did Father and Mother Shen exchange a smiling look.

A month of sincere companionship had earned sincere feelings in return. They already regarded Ye Ran as their own son. Mother Shen even entertained the thought of making him their godson, but since Ye Huaishan had not yet awakened, she had to put it aside for now.

Thinking of seeing Shen Shi later, of that cold face of his, Mother Shen’s smile faded slightly. She said gently to Ye Ran, “Ranran, your brother Shen Shi is coming to pick us up later. He’s five years older than you. Today is mainly for you two to meet, so don’t be afraid of him.”

Ye Ran was stunned, then smiled. “I know.”

Mother Shen hinted cautiously, “Have you two chatted before?”

Ye Ran paused. A month ago, he had added Shen Shi on WeChat, but the chat was still stuck on the sentence Shen Shi sent right after Father and Mother Shen landed: “Thank you for taking care of them.”

He was sensitive to others’ emotions.

Just a few words were enough for him to sense that this older brother, Shen Shi, was not particularly friendly toward him.

Which was understandable. In Shen Shi’s eyes, he was probably someone relying on old ties and currying favor with his parents to save his failing company.

He didn’t know how to explain, so he could only keep quiet and try to be a “transparent person” in Shen Shi’s WeChat.

He didn’t speak, and Mother Shen understood.

Thinking of Shen Shi’s temperament, she sighed silently and patted the back of Ye Ran’s hand in comfort.

For the rest of the journey, to avoid nausea, Ye Ran forced himself to sleep.

After landing, Mother Shen woke him. His eyes still carried a faint reddish mist.

Walking out of the arrival gate, Ye Ran followed behind Father and Mother Shen. Their luggage was handled by staff, they were all luxury items Mother Shen bought from boutiques in Germany, some for Shen Shi, and some for her friends and relatives.

The airport hall was noisy, filled with people coming and going.

Ye Ran walked behind Mother Shen. After a few steps, he suddenly felt a gaze.

It fell on him lightly but with a casual sweep, examining him from head to toe.

The look was unreadable, dark and deep, yet it made Ye Ran inexplicably flustered, as if he had been caught in the sights of some dangerous, large carnivorous animal.

He froze, instinctively lifting his head.

In the distance, he saw a few people ahead.

The man standing at the front wore a shirt and vest. His posture was tall and striking. He carried a suit jacket over his arm, looking as though he had just stepped out of a place of power and prestige. His hair was brushed back neatly, revealing a sharply defined, handsome face.

Ye Ran met the man’s gaze.

Dark, profound like ink dissolved in water revealing no emotion at all.

Again came that unsettling feeling.

Ye Ran hesitated and slowed down, watching the man approach at an unhurried pace. The man lowered his gaze slightly and greeted, “Dad, Mom.”

Ye Ran froze.

Then he reacted instantly.

…So this was Shen Shi.

The only son of the Shen family, ruthless in his methods, firmly steering the Shen Group in his grasp.

A hundred times more capable than him.

After greeting casually, Shen Shi lifted his eyelids. His dark gaze slowly fell onto Ye Ran.

Facing those eyes directly made Ye Ran’s heart jump again. He had never interacted with someone like Shen Shi, pampered, noble, commanding. A man born at the top of the industry. The gulf between them felt immeasurable.

If Ye Corporation were in Shen Shi’s hands, it likely never would have fallen into crisis.

“You brat, didn’t I tell you he’s your Uncle Ye’s son, Ranran? Why didn’t you greet him!” Mother Shen chided lightly, “Hurry, call him properly.”

Shen Shi answered softly, then turned slightly to look down at the young man in front of him. His eyes, shadowed beneath his lashes, were hard to read. His tone sounded natural as he said, “Younger Brother Ye Ran.”

Ye Ran got stuck for a moment. The title he wanted to use circled in his mouth, and in the end, he nodded obediently and said hesitantly, “Older Brother… Shen Shi.”

Only then did Mother Shen relax.

She had been worried that Shen Shi would be too cold and make Ye Ran feel unwelcome.

But seeing him now, he was nothing like his childhood self, he had indeed grown mature and steady, no longer showing emotions so easily.

Ye Ran was a good kid. She believed that after a few days of interaction, Shen Shi would also come to like him.

Mother Shen was in high spirits, faintly feeling that the future would be harmonious and happy. She took Ye Ran’s hand and gently pulled him forward, looking at his quiet, delicate face. Softly, she said:

“Ranran, in a couple of days your Uncle Shen and I need to return to Haicheng to take care of something. We’ll come back soon. If anything happens during that time, just look for your Brother Shen Shi. Don’t be afraid to trouble him, he has plenty of free time every day.”

The big CEO, with free time? Impossible.

Ye Ran knew she was comforting him. He didn’t dare look up at Shen Shi, but he felt the man’s gaze shift again, landing on him lightly, without emotion. In fact, a low “Mm” came from his throat.

Ye Ran pressed his lips together.

From the corner of his eye, Shen Shi walked beside him, steps steady and unhurried, his suit jacket still draped over his arm. The breeze from outside the airport lifted the edge of the fabric.

Ye Ran quietly exhaled. Just one glance from Shen Shi had made his palms sweat. Thinking of the coldness in Shen Shi’s earlier WeChat message, Ye Ran’s mind raced. He used this chance to explain himself softly.

“No need, Auntie Shen.”

He felt the man look at him again, dark gaze brushing lightly across him like thick ink merging with night.

Unsure if he had said something wrong, Ye Ran paused, then finished, “The matters at home… I can handle them myself.”

That should be fine.

He thought anxiously.

…It’s better to have as little contact as possible in the future.

Author’s Note: For now, Old Shen is still a normal human being.